Coins Concerning The Colosseum

Orfew's post concerning Titus brought to mind The Colosseum and which coins can be related to it. I have two that I'm aware of that are or can be connected to the great structure. The first is one that pretty much anyone who collects Roman Imperial coins knows about. The other has a possible connection through Domitian. This theory I borrowed from David Atherton which stated that many rhinoceros quadrans of Domitian could have been thrown to the crowds inside The Colosseum during the games. (David please correct me if I'm wrong and elaborate if you want.) I love that theory. Please post your coins that relate in any way with The Colosseum.





Titus (Augustus)
Coin: Silver Denarius
IMP TITVS CAESAR VESPASIAN AVG PM - Laureate head right
TRP IX IMP XV COS VIII PP - Elephant walking left.
Mint: Rome (January-June 80AD)
Wt./Size/Axis: 2.90g / 18mm / 180
References:
RCV 2512
RIC 115, (RIC [1962] 22a
RSC 303
BMC 43
Cohen 303
Provenances:
Incitatus Coins
Acquisition/Sale: Incitatus Coins Vcoins $0.00 11/17
Notes: Jul 21, 18 - The Gary R. Wilson Collection





Domitian (Augustus)
Coin: Bronze Quadrans
(no legend) - Rhinoceros standing left.
IMP DOMIT AVG GERM - Legend surrounding large S C
Exergue:



Mint: Rome (84-85 AD)
Wt./Size/Axis: 2.57g / 17mm / 12h
References:
RIC II (second edition)250
Sear 2835
Cohen 674
BMC 498
Paris 539-541
Provenances:
NUMISMÁTICA PRADOS
Acquisition/Sale: NUMISMÁTICA PRADOS VCoins $0.00 03/19
Notes: Mar 23, 19 - The Gary R. Wilson Collection

 

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TITUS
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: IMP TITVS CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M, laureate head right
REVERSE: TRP IX IMP XV COS VIII PP, elephant walking left
Struck at Rome, 80 AD
2.5g, 17mm
RIC 115

 

My own pet theory was always that Domitian followed Titus, who strongly associated with elephants. If your brother was an elephant, why not associate with a rhino, the only known animal known to be able to kill an elephant, and the second largest mammal known to the ancients.

Either way, I love them. Too much animal discrimination, only two ancient coins are known with rhinos. RHINO POWER!

 

No coins related to the Colosseum but a cool story : in 80 AD, the building was filled in with water to stage a huge naval battle. The historian Cassius Dio stated that "Titus suddenly filled this same theatre with water and brought in horses and bulls and some other domesticated animals that had been taught to behave in the liquid element just as on land. He also brought in people on ships, who engaged in a sea fight there, impersonating the Corcyreans and Corinthians". It seems Titus had a Hollywood' scenario and a high budget too!

 

Actually, they built the colosseum on top of Nero's Colossus, (hence the name), and I believe used the aquaduct pipes at the baths to stage naval battles therein pretty frequently.

 

I was about to ask if it had been more than a one time thing with the naval battles... Thanks for confirming I'm not completely nuts... lol

 

I love those elephant denarii. Looks like I will be saving up some room for one

 

I don't remember reading how many times The Colosseum was flooded but I did read where Domitian eventually stopped the water battles to build the hypogeum and thereby stage the gladiatorial battles and animal hunts the Colosseum is famous for. As a matter of fact Domitian loved the Colosseum so much that he built a tunnel passageway from his Palace on the Palatine to the arena. It is best known as The Passage of Commodus.

 

Yes, I believe this is accurate. It's my recollection from my visit there a few years ago that our guide, who was also an archeologist, mentioned that the extensive underground structures were built later and after that time the Colosseum could no longer serve for naval battles.

 

I had the opportunity to do a Flavian Ampitheatre underground tour and visit the hypogeum a few years back. Originally built on Nero's man-made lake for his Domus Aurea palace, it's believed that the Colosseum was built as a gesture to return the prime real estate to the people.

 

It is true that the Colosseum could not be filled with water and thereby hold naval battles after Domitian had the hypogeum built. It was actually the Emperor Claudius who staged the most famous naval battle of Lake Fucine in central Italy. All the participants were criminals or convicts. The entire lake was surrounder by soldiers, so no one could escape alive. No one did.
This spectacle is said to be where the phrase "Ave Caesar! Morituri te salutant!" initially came from. ( Hail Caesar! Those who are about to die salute you!"

 

I'll reiterate David Atherton's recommendation of the book:

A Monument to Dynasty and Death: The Story of Rome's Colosseum and the Emperors who Built it by Elkins.

Well worth the read regardless of Elkins views on other issues. A really well researched book.

Here's just one of my pulvinar series



RIC 0112 Titus denarius
IMP TITVS CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M
Head of Titus, laureate, bearded, right

TR P IX IMP XV COS VIII P P
Dolphin coiled around anchor

Rome mint, 80 AD
3.09g

RIC 112 (C2), BMCRE 72, RSC 309

Ex-Londinium Coins

Titus' pulvinar series commemorating the opening of the Colosseum.

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-89077

 

If anybody cares, there was a remnant of the Colossus of Nero. The pedestal existed until Mussolini, in his infinite Roman wisdom, demolished many architectural treasures in order to make space for his new vision.
Probably the saddest loss was the Meta Sudans, the ONLY Roman fountain to survive until Big Man Musso felt that it was just too in the way.

 

I also found a medallion of Gordian III representing the colosseum and the Colossus.

 

Well, this is a fun coincidence. I've bought this quadrans of Domitian only two days ago, as part of an old collection. It was unattributed as most coins in that collection:

ROMAN IMPERIAL, Domitian. Denomination: AE Quadrans, minted: ; 84-85 AD
Obv: Rhinoceros (Rhino) advancing right
Rev: IMP DOMIT AVG GERM, SC in center
Weight: 2.38g; Ø:16mm. Catalogue: . Provenance: Ex private collection; acq.: 04-2020

I might try to remove some of the dirt on the obverse.

 

I've been fortunate to add two of the major Colosseum types to my collection, the sestertius under Titus and the Gordian III medallion. There are a couple other major varieties available (Divus Titus, Severus Alexander, and an aureus known by only two examples) but they are even more challenging to acquire. Considering how prominent the Colosseum is in Roman history, it's surprising it didn't appear on a broader set of coinage but perhaps they knew they didn't need to use propaganda show it off as everyone already knew about it.


Ex Collection Dr. Paul Hartwig, Auction MM P&P Santamaria, Rome 07.03.1910, Lot 1215


Ex Numismatic Fine Arts XXXII (10 June 1993), lot 339,Münzen und Medaillen AG 66 (22 October 1984), lot 798; Hess-Leu 36 (17 April 1968), lot 525; Giuseppe Mazzini Collection, 166.

 

During my underground tour, I was able to snap a picture of two of the current residents of the Colosseum's basement:

Other than the Ides of March denarius, I think this Titus is the most iconic coin of ancient Rome -- and a bit rarer, as well. A (literally) fabulous coin!

My own Colosseum-related coin is of the more garden variety:

 

There's also a Severus Alexander aureus.

Barry Murphy

 

And this Severan type refers to games held in the Colosseum in 204.

Barry Murphy

 

And this which I'm not convinced is 100% genuine, even though it sold for 90k....



Barry Murphy